… the elite have responsibility to use their largess wisely and not turn into the Kardashians. But that a fifth of one percent of the taxpayers are finding ways not to pay at the income tax rate on their large incomes does not hurt the republic as much as 50% of the population paying no income tax at all. The latter noble sorts do not bother us as much, but their noncompliance bothers the foundations of our society far more than that of the stingy, but minuscule, number of grasping rich.

From

Victor Davis Hanson’s article,   Why Does the Good Life End, published in Pajamas Media 9/25/11.

HKO Comments:

The focus on class warfare and exploiting extremes in tax behavior will never generate the wealth needed to run endless programs demanded by those who pay nothing.   It is much easier to stop the wealthy from producing than it is to stop the leeches from consuming what other produce.

As wrong as they may have been, the Wall Street self ordained masters of the universe did not do near the damage as those who felt they deserved a home they could not afford.  And neither did as much destruction as the political alchemists who encouraged all of them to believe they were wealthier and smarter and more deserving than they were.

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